Three days later we were inside the car waiting to be instructed where we should park. It was a Saturday and we were at his grandparents' house for his cousin's homecoming party.
"Bakit napakaraming tao? I thought it's a family event?"
"We are a large family, Sweetheart. Ang kadalasan mo kasing nakikita ay 'yung mga kapatid ni Dad at ang immediate family nila. Pati second at third cousins ko nandito."
"Wow...ang dami n'yo pala talaga, ano? Kami kasi dalawang lang sina Daddy at pareho silang tig-iisa lang ang anak. Sa side ng Mom ko naman, mag-isang anak lang s'ya kaya ako lang ang apo."
"Where are your grandparents?"
"Wala na."
"Parehong side?"
"Oo."
"That's sad. Don't worry, sa dami ba naman namin ay sigurado akong magsasawa ka. Come let's meet everyone—o, what's wrong?"
"Si Crystal..."
"What about her—wait, are you afraid that she wouldn't like you?"
I shook my head. "Hindi naman, but, from what I heard parang napakaperpekto nitong pinsan mo."
Ayden laughed out loud. "Hindi, ano. Punung-puno rin ng kalokohan 'yun. It just so happens na s'ya ang eldest and our grandparents' favorite no matter how much they deny it. 'Tsaka it's been three years since she last came home kaya naman excited kaming lahat na makita s'ya."
"She used to be a model, right?"
"Oo. She took over her Mom's family's organic food business in the U.S. and that's where she's concentrating kaya madalang nakakauwi."
"Ahh..."
We saw a man approach and Ayden immediately rolled the window down.
"Hi, Manong Nel."
"Good evening po, Sir Ayden, dito po tayo, Sir," the man said before walking ahead of us towards a curb. "sa likod po ng kotse nina Sir Phil."
"Okay, Manong."
"Your Lolo and Lola have a butler?" I asked in a whisper watching the man who was wearing a black suit walk away after we were done parking.
"Si Manong Nel? He's their valet."
"Valet? Why would they need a valet?"
"Dahil nga mahilig sila sa parties at palaging napupuno ng sasakyan itong bakuran nila. Maaga pa tayo sa lagay na ito kaya dito tayo sa loob naka-park, maya-maya kahit sa labas ng gate ay puro sasakyan na."
"Ang prolific n'yo naman," I couldn't help but blurt out.
He laughed again. "Aminado naman kami, Sweetheart," he said. "Ready?"
I nodded.
He got out of the car and then walked to the passenger side to open and hold the door for me.
"Ayden! Aiyla!" a woman waved jovially at us and we watched her approach.
"Hello, Tita Cara," Ayden and I greeted.
"Hello, newlyweds!"
Ayden's uncle's wife gave us hugs and kissed both our cheeks before she looked questioningly at me. "Are you already pregnant, Dear?"
"Po?"
"It's already been three months, wala pa ba? Your uncle and I conceived on our first try. Kayo tatlong buwan na, wala pa rin? You might want to have yourself checked, Aiyla, if everything is okay kasi baka mamaya kailangan pala ng medical intervention 'yan—"
"Tita Cara, stop harassing my wife," Ayden firmly said although he was smiling. "Whether or not we will have kids and when is nobody's business."
His uncle's wife's smile slipped a little but she recovered quickly. "Ayden naman, we're family. I meant no offense. Concerned lang. Anyway, I think I saw your Tita Grace's car arrive, sige, I'll see you both inside," she said before sauntering off.
"Are you okay?" my husband asked.
"Oo naman."
"Tita Cara is pleasant but she sometimes gets on everyone's nerves. But, if you're uncomfortable, you should tell her off. Nicely if you can, she's family, after all."
"I'll keep that in mind," I said as Ayden took my hand in his and we walked hand-in-hand towards the main entrance.
"Ayden!"
"Liam! You're here, too? Kailan ka pa dumating?"
"Kagabi lang."
"It's great to see you!" he happily said before he turned to me. "Aiyla, this is Liam, my second cousin. He runs the Ynchausti Family Hospital in Cebu."
"Hi," I greeted with a smile.
"Liam, this is my wife, Mrs. Aiyla Ynchausti."
"Wow...you finally got married. Sa wakas natuloy rin ang pagpapakasal mo."
I felt Ayden stiffen but I did not think anything of it because I suddenly felt the urge to pee.
"Ayden...I need to go to the comfort room..." I whispered discreetly.
"If you'll excuse us, Liam—"
"No, ako na. Do some catching up at mukhang ang tagal ninyong hindi nagkausap."
"Are you sure?" my husband asked.
"Yes."
"Samahan na kita."
"Kaya ko na."
"Is your phone with you?"
I nodded.
"Down the hallway, turn right, third door. Call me if you need me."
"I will. Nice meeting you, Liam," I said before I ran in the direction he indicated.
The comfort room was easy enough to find. It was designed just like a hotel with its wall-to-wall mirror and four large cubicles inside.
I pushed one of the doors open, turned the lock, then sat on the bowl. I was about to stand after doing my business when I heard the door being pushed open followed by a clicking of heels on the marble floor.
"Calm down, Crystal," I heard a woman say. "You can't just confront Ayden like that, ano ka ba?"
"What the fuck is he thinking?!" a woman exclaimed. "He got married to someone he barely knew?!"
"Crystal, lower your voice—"
"Why the hell didn't you all stop him, Audrey?! Why did you let our cousin marry another girl when we all know that he's not yet over Gwen?!"
My heart started drumming crazily inside my chest.
"Crys, we tried—"
"It obviously wasn't enough, Zoey! You should have tried harder! Kayo 'yung nandito! Dapat kinausap n'yo s'ya! Dapat kinumbinsi n'yo s'yang h'wag ituloy ang kasal!"
"Paano naman namin s'ya kakausapin, Crys? You know how bull-headed he is. Akala mo ba we did not try to dissuade him? Kaming lahat nakipag-usap sa kanya. Even Abuelo and Abuela tried but our pleas fell on deaf ears."
I felt my hands shake and I fisted them. I had thought that it was too good to be true how their family was warmly welcoming me and it was painful to realize that I was right.
"And so you are all just going to watch our cousin ruin his life?! My God!"
"Crys, we know how Ayden would do something if people are against it. We talked to Tito Miguel and Tita Emari and they said to just let him be dahil kapag pinipigilan s'ya ay lalo n'yang ginagawa."
"But still—"
"Don't worry, Crys, kilala naman nating lahat si Ayden. I couldn't count how many women came after Gwen, but he'd always go back to her."
"But, he married this one, Charlie, because you all let him!"
"I'm sure Ayden will find a way to make her leave, he always does," someone replied and I knew that my nightmare had just begun.
Chapter 5: Bane
Start from the beginning
